Who Should NOT Vape

One of the benefits of vaping is that it offers tobacco smokers a smoke-free, tar-free, odorless alternative that still allows them to get the nicotine their body craves. Some vapers use e-cigs as a step towards quitting smoking, while others simply enjoy it for the flavor and social aspect of vaping with friends.

On the contrary, one of the criticisms frequently charged against vaping has nothing to do with health, but rather that they are supposedly marketed to children—attracting young kids by having so many options of delicious e-cig flavors.

Supporters of this argument fail to understand that adults who vape like flavor as well, but they do bring up an important topic about e-cigs: who should and should not vape?

While we cannot tell you that you should vape, since it is a decision you must make for yourself, we can say who should not use e-cigs.

Anyone under the age of 18.

Just like traditional cigarettes, e-cigs are not for kids 17 years old or younger. This rule is not only a legal obligation, but a responsible one too.

Nicotine is highly addictive, and the psychology of children makes them more prone to addiction than adults—through peer pressure and social situations. Also, kids and teens are highly influenced by older role models to behave in certain ways, and their ability to make reasonable and responsible decisions for themselves can be hampered by these influences.

E-cig companies are adamant about preventing children under 18 from purchasing their product, and have disclaimers warning buyers about the age restriction. Many e-cig websites even make visitors to their page put in their date of birth to prevent illegal underage vaping. Just like traditional cigarettes and alcohol, some underage consumption is bound to occur, but e-cig companies do all they can to remind consumers that their product is intended for adults, and not children or teens.

Women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

Obviously, women who are pregnant or breast feeding should not smoke traditional cigarettes. The over 4,000 harmful chemicals released during the combustion process—including many that are carcinogenic—can have dangerous health consequences for developing fetuses and babies. But nicotine, although not yet linked to health disorders, should be avoided during pregnancy.

E-cigs are much safer than tobacco cigarettes since there is no potent smoke or tar, but it still contains nicotine, which doctors caution mothers against ingesting while they are pregnant. Since a majority of mothers already avoid smoking during pregnancy, there has not been enough data from scientific studies to link nicotine with prenatal disorders, but early testing on animals have led researchers to believe that nicotine may inhibit proper brain growth, cause atrophy, or result in abnormalities in the child’s chromosomes.

Similarly, women who are breast feeding should avoid nicotine, since some of it can be transmitted to the child through the milk.

Basically, the affect nicotine has on adults is still not fully comprehended, and its impact in prenatal or nursing children is even less understood. But because of the lack of information on the dangers of nicotine during pregnancy, mothers should avoid vaping during the gestation period.

Anyone allergic to nicotine or inhaled ingredients.

E-cigs contain nicotine just like traditional cigarettes—albeit without the thousands of other harmful chemicals—so people who are allergic to the nicotine in tobacco will also be allergic to vaping, and thus should not use e-cigs.

Likewise, people who are allergic, or have an adverse health reaction, to the inhalation of certain ingredients may have difficulty with vaping, since it is a device that involves the absorption of the nicotine through the lungs. Consult a physician these cases.

Anyone using smoking cessation aids like patches and gums.

Many vapers use e-cigs as a safer alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. Although not marketed as such, e-cigs are commonly regarded as a smoking cessation tool since it gives users the option to slowly decrease their nicotine consumption, rather than quit cold turkey.

Because of this, e-cigs and nicotine patches and gums often cross paths, but this can be dangerous. The reason is nicotine overdose.

Nicotine patches and gum work much the same way as e-cigs—releasing a small amount of nicotine into the bloodstream to satisfy the craving without the smoke, tar, and carcinogenic chemicals. But using both e-cigs and a nicotine patch or gum can release too much nicotine into the body at one time.

Symptoms of a nicotine overdose can include:

Extreme anxiety

Cold sweats

Dizziness

Headache

Insomnia

Tingling sensation

High pulse rate

Increased blood pressure

Fatigue and weakness

Reduced appetite

Diarrhea

Stomach ache

Nausea

Vomiting

Anyone in poor health.

Anyone who has poor health, or a family history of poor health, should consider consulting a physician before vaping. Although there are no proven long-term health risks associated with e-cigs, and the affects of nicotine on the body are not fully understood, it is better to be safe in these situations. Your physician should be able to determine whether using e-cigs will have an adverse outcome on your health.

Recap

Ultimately, the decision to vape is up to you, but for legal and safety reasons children under 18, pregnant or nursing mothers, people allergic to nicotine, people using nicotine patches or gum, and anyone with poor health should avoid nicotine and consult a physician before engaging in e-cigs.

If you do not fall under any of the above categories, we invite you to consider e-cigs today as a safer alternative to traditional smoking.